Puh! Here I am again! It took me some time to write this one, I had to rewrite it over and over again…but now, I'm content with the outcome! Sorry for all my misspellings, I hope there aren't many writing-mistakes. I'm tipping to fast^^
Thanks for all of your reviews; I just like to read them, they make my day and my writing worthwhile!
(Gue22: You are so funny^^ Thank you very much. How's your story going, btw?)
(Sayajin-Love: You were the first to review this one, I never thanked you for that^^)
(gleeeeeeeeeeeeek: I like your name, haha)
(Chichiforever: Somehow your name misses the Goku part!^^)
Shortly some answers to your questions:
Where I get my ideas from: Honestly, no idea…
Where this story will lead to: Honestly, no concrete idea but a vague one^^
Why I don't own anything of DBZ: That, my friends, is a mystery nobody can solve…=)
Now, on with the story!
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Five – The tale of the evil bastards
"You really shouldn't underestimate the king's patience, woman." Vegeta said in a low voice to Bulma who sat in a little comfortable looking room, gazing straight out of the window. Her blue eyes shot to him dangerously and she hissed. "I cannot tell about something I don't even know about myself!"
Vegeta's nails bored themselves into his palms as he clenched his hands into fists. "So you decide to stay stubborn?"
Bulma's eyes changed to a more desperate expression as she faced the warrior now completely. "I don't even know what you want from me! How should I now about the girl of legend? Just because this stupid ball lead you to me? And just because I have a task to fulfill – or rather a curse to break – you think you can use me to your hearts contents? It wasn't me that – "
"Enough!" His fist banged down on the little table that crashed down under his force. "You shouldn't insult our king."
"I don't see a king…" Bulma challenged him. And his eyes got as cold as ice. His body trembled and Bulma could see how he pressed his teeth together in order not to yell at her. Straightening his back he turned around and stopped just before the door to say. "I'll come again, and I await some clear answers…" With that he left and all that could be heard from him were his footsteps leading away.
Bulma sighed and slumped down in her chair while she quietly whispered to herself. "What happened to us, Vegeta?" But only silence could give her an answer…
"Goku, look what I found!" Chichi cried in excitement as she yelled for her only companion on her adventurous journey through a different world. It had been exactly three months and two weeks since she had come here. Three months and two weeks in which she faced more trouble then she had in her own world with her seventeen years…
Her daddy must miss her over all this time…she wondered if they were searching for her in her own world? Did they think she was dead? Or could Eleona successfully tell them about her vision? But then again, would they believe her?
A voice right beside her – she just loved to hear – brought her back to the present. "What is it, Chi?" Goku looked at her red face. She blushed at her new giving nickname. Since he had found her again one week and three days ago he had started to call her simply "Chi". Eleona was the only one who had called her like that…but hearing it from him; it felt different…exciting…tingling.
"Chi?" Goku tried to bring her back and earned a confused look from her. He had to stifle a smile. "What did you find?" He asked her again and suddenly her face lit up again, and she pointed to a little hut standing in the middle of a clearing, right below the cliff they were standing on. "Look! I think it should be empty!"
He smiled at her excitement. He had to admit, her companionship was more pleasant than anything ever was for him and the way she smiled at him when he praised her was so sweet he wanted to praise her for everything and every time. "God job!" Goku said and got what he wanted. The cutest thing he should see beside sugar. Although he knew he would have to abandon said smile again…
It was just too dangerous for her; he clearly saw it and it got clearer and clearer the more the wheel of time progressed forward. It would end badly, he felt it. And he wanted to protect her perfectly. The more time he spent with her, the more precious she became to him, although he couldn't describe what it was that made her special. It wasn't just her title…but more…Argh! He couldn't explain it! But he had to ensure her safety, no matter what! She still beamed when they continued walking and he felt his own heart tighten at the thought of leaving her again.
Chichi's heart fluttered like a little bird that flew for the first time. She couldn't describe the feeling; but she got it since she found him again. The way he treated her suddenly after Bulma's sudden disappear….it was as if he was even more afraid she herself could suddenly vanish. And it made her seem so important to him, she felt like an unknown price. Every now and then his hand would brush hers as if he wanted to make sure she would still walk beside him.
And although he tried to explain the things that were happening around them – he told her about the dragonballs and what will happen if you find all seven although she still didn't get her role in all of that – and how dangerous they were – Bulma's kidnapping proved it – Chichi couldn't help but not feel afraid. He still didn't tell her everything, she knew there was more to it, but she still wasn't afraid, because he was here, with her.
So….I really am the legendary fighter. That's the way Zero called me. I cannot say I like my new given task but…as long as Goku's beside me I think I can make the best out of it…although I still don't know what I'm supposed to do…Why wouldn't Goku just tell me! Ah, if only I could ask that old witch, I guess she knows…Chichi thought while her eyes shifted from the road to the neutral face of Goku and back to the road again. He's keeping something to himself, I can see it…
When after an hour they finally reached the little hut it indeed was – as she presumed – empty. Although the way until there was longer than she thought…As I found the hut it looked as if it was right below us! Damn, those hills are driving me mad, I swear! Chichi was glad she could sit down.
"Good thing, there is still some wood left for a fire…" Goku quietly stated gladly and sat down while he piled them up into a nice pile and started to make a cozy warm atmosphere for both of them. Chichi sighed and analyzed the wooden little home while rubbing her ankles. Her feet were killing her, those shoes were heavy and her feet weren't used to walking so much. Her body ached too, she noticed sadly while she massaged her shoulder shortly.
"Goku…" She whined and he looked at her with confused eyes. Why did she sound so whiny all of a sudden? "What is it?"
"What are we going to do from now on?" She curiously wanted to know. Walking around couldn't be all that they could do, was it? They were walking around aimlessly ever since, she have had enough! It was as if he wanted to let time do the rest of what is supposed to be! But that wasn't what Chichi had in mind, she wanted something to do! And she finally wanted to know what her role was in all of this craziness.
Maybe finding Bulma would be a good start? Or even searching for those balls? If they were supposed to grant one peculiar wish why not using it for saving Bulma? Wait a minute…I don't think that would be wise…, Chichi warned herself. But what else should I wish for? Please make my earth turn around again? Sure thing! As if that would ever happen! Nobody knows where I'm coming from…What else? Please take me back? Her eye gazed at Goku's sadly thinking face. What if I don't want to anymore…?
"First of all…" Goku took her back and looked intensely at her, waiting for her reaction carefully "…I will find a place for you to stay."
"Huh?" Chichi was baffled. Did she hear just right? No, wait a minute! She clearly had to clean her ears! "What?"
"I will find a place for you to stay." He repeated, slower this time.
So she did hear right. "But…why? I thought we…you…I don't get what you mean…Do you want to leave me again just like last time?" She got angry, as she wasn't just stressed out but tired above all and…hurt by his words!
"No!" He tried to assure her, turning his back now fully to the fire and facing her. "I just want you to be safe…and…"
"Safe?" She roared. "Oh, how safe I was while you left me with Bulma! She has gone missing and could be who-knows-where while I was locked up in a closet-like room and you want to let that happen again?"
"Of course not!" Goku shot a little louder back. "But…it's just not safe for you to be with me…"
"Is it because I'm the girl of legend?" She got straight to the point. His eyebrows went up in confusion. "Why do you think that?"
Now was her chance to get her answers, or so she thought when she started to speak up her mind. "Because ever since I got here there always happened something that lead me to conclusion that I'm the reason the things around us are happening." As if he wouldn't know that…she interrupted herself in her head sarcastically but went on soon after. "The fault why Bulma was kidnapped is mine. The reason why the people in every village we cross are hopefully looking to the sky is because they hope the legendary angel will help them – although I have no idea what I'm supposed to do! But I believe you know…"
Goku looked to the ground feeling defeated. "Goku, why are the dragonballs responding to me? Why was this man who kidnapped Bulma searching for me? Why is it, that there are people believing I can help them? And why is it that you want to leave me alone all the time? Am I a burden to you? Do you think I'm not good enough to fulfill my destiny…?"
"Chi, what should your destiny probably be?" He suddenly snapped. "Don't you think it's unfair? You, coming from another world with no idea what you should do, feeling the burden of another dimension on your shoulders. Alone in here, no plan what is supposed to happen. Your life shouldn't even be here!"
And Chichi knew he was right. She really didn't understand why it had to be her. She never really understood at all. But she learned to live with it. She always made the best out of every situation, like now. She agreed to her destiny, she wasn't afraid of it. "But I can't change it now, can I? I'm here, and you found me." She matter-of-factly stated and left him speechless.
Yes, she was right. But it still seemed unfair to him…"I need some fresh air…" he said and stood up, leaving the tensed atmosphere. He was angry with himself! Chichi really behaved like an angel now and it practically killed him, because he was torn up inside. He didn't want to leave her, but he didn't want to let her be in danger too! But here she sat and told him that she just had to live her destiny, which he desperately tried to change! Why didn't it work?
She looked behind him and sighed. Why wouldn't he talk to her? Leaving her in a complete darkness wasn't helping at all…
When Goku returned Chichi was lying on the ground breathing evenly. He sighed and brought a blanket over her shivering body. "When you're cold, then use it…" he scolded her lightly but smiled at the same time. His eyes landed on her face and…did she cry? Great work, he cursed himself. Making her cry was the last thing he wanted to do. Brushing her hair out of her face and laying his hand on top of her head– an intimate gesture he only allowed himself because she wasn't looking – he caressed her forehead with his thump while he watched her sleeping face.
"I'm sorry…" he mumbled. She didn't stir by his words but her mouth moved a little and it looked really adorable. He watched her until he fell asleep himself, still not knowing what he should do…
The next day they weren't talking at all with each other. Chichi was still angry at him and Goku just didn't know what to say, so he kept silent. And so they were walking, side by side but very far away from each other at the same time. It was somehow nerve wrecking.
Just when Chichi found the courage to say something to him – she wanted to throw an insult into his face – he lifted his hand right before her mouth without touching it and "shh-ed" her with his eyes fixated on something on the road. When Chichi – confused and irritated – followed his gaze she saw an old man standing on the road, grinning rather dirtily at her. "What is it?" she whispered as he didn't move his hand away at all. "It's just an old geezer…"
"It's not human." Goku lowly explained her and the grin the old man held grew wider.
"Not human?" Chichi questioned and looked at the man again, searching for something that helped her seeing the non-human side. But it really just looked like an old geezer to her. A creepy old guy. "Goku, aren't you imagining things now?"
"No…"
"HeLLo, LiTTlE GiRl…" the man in a raspy old weird voice suddenly started to talk. It sounded like a high pitched tone and hurt in her ears. Goku automatically shielded her with his body. "YoU HaVe SoMeThInG I WaNt…" His sneer got even wider now and Chichi finally noticed what was un-human to him. His eyes were entirely white and all of his upper teeth were longer than the ones below. His mouth was much too wide for his face. It went from one ear to the other. Chichi shivered; this guy was disgusting…
"GiVe It To Me, I WaNt It…I WaNt it…GiVe mE!" And suddenly his arm shot out and stretched itself out until it could touch both of them but Goku slapped it back with the strange strength of his and shouted to Chichi she should hide. But she was too frozen in place to hide. Her legs prohibited themselves to move from the spot.
"Run away, Chi!" Goku yelled again tackled her down when another over-length arm reached out to her, trying to grab her leg. "GiVe Me…GiVe mE! ThE DrAgOnBaLL…MuSt HaVe…MuSt HaVe!"
"Shut up!" Goku roared and his tail twitched widely from one side to another, his eyes glimmering dangerously red in the morning-sun. "MuSt HaVe…ThE DrAgOnBaLL!"
"Run away, damn it!" Goku yelled for the last time and an animalistic sound broke out of his throat before he attacked the demon. When his fist landed on the wide sneer of the old looking thing Chichi finally got out of her trance, turned around and ran away, leaving Goku behind her. Her heart beat frantically, her sides ached and she had trouble breathing. She stumbled a few times and hit her knee on a small rock. Blood oozed out of her wound but all she could hear was Goku's voice telling her to run. So she did, ignoring the stinging pain.
When she came across a little river she stopped and glanced back. She heard a loud crash and saw birds flapping nervously away, her heart stopped. Hopefully Goku was alright? No time to think that! She warned herself, assuring herself that Goku was a strong guy; he would come to her safely. Jumping into the hip-high water, the coldness of it felt like little needles prickling her skin. Crossing it in no time she dragged her tired and now wet body further away, until she hid behind a large tree with golden leaves, that stood alone in the middle of a clearing, catching her breath and calming herself down for the time being.
Now all she could do was wait for Goku. In her mind she repeated the words of the demon. It wanted the dragonball? Why? What was it with those little things? Taking the one out she carried she observed it, but found nothing special about it. It was a cold little thing, heavy in her palms. Sighing she put it back into the bag she got from Goku and leaned her head against the strong trunk and closed her eyes, while the wind rustled through the leaves.
Hopefully Goku would find her quick; she was feeling lonely already…
"Missy, what are you doing there?" the voice of a small boy suddenly took her out of her dozing off and Chichi stood up, looking for the person who spoke to her. Apparently she saw nobody and frowned. Was she hearing things already?
"Up here." The voice spoke again, playfully. And Chichi looked up into the tree, still seeing nobody.
"Where are you?"
"You're already looking at me, missy."
"But I can't see you."
"You do."
What was that boy talking about? Chichi didn't get it at all. "Are you playing hide and seek with me?"
"No." It chuckled.
"Are you one of those demons that attacked us just now?" her voice shivered and she observed her surrounding carefully, her heart at full speed again.
"You mean those evil bastards? No, I'm not like them."
"Evil bastards?"
"Yes…underlings of the king. Humans turned into demons."
"Turned…?" Chichi didn't get anything at all. This was getting weirder and weirder. Oh Goku, where are you?
"Yes." The boy spoke again, sounding much deeper by now, as if he matured in just seconds. "Transmitting dark blood into their veins, turning them into what they are….evil bastards."
"And…what do they want from us?"
"The thing you're carrying."
"The dragonball?"
"Yes…"
"But…why?" Chichi breathed out, feeling as if her strength left her this instant, falling on her knees and looking to the tree. "See? You look at me very clearly…" The boyish voice – now very young again – smilingly said and Chichi shockingly understood what he meant, too tired to show the surprise on her face. Exhaustion got her and she closed her eyes, feeling the dizziness overtake her. Something rustled beside her ear and she felt herself being lifted before she finally passed out.
Goku followed her scent, his left arm hanging lifelessly beside him. This demon was stronger than it looked like, hopefully Chichi was alright…
He stopped near a golden-leaved tree and narrowed his eyes. Her scent stopped here but he couldn't see her. "Chi?" He tried to call her, but he got no answer. He looked up the tree, hoping she was hiding up there, but there was nothing. "Chi?" he repeated her name but no answer was coming to him. His vision got blurry after the fight and his long run – Chichi ran quite a distance – and the dull pain in his left shoulder now got stronger as the adrenalin in his blood calmed down again.
Sagging to his knees, his face hit the green grass below him, her name rolling lazily one last time off from his lips before his eyes shut down. She disappeared, just like he feared she would…
